The present invention relates generally to mounting brackets for a gripper or other workpiece holder and, more particularly, to a mounting bracket which is pivotally mountable to a rod or support and which may pivotally receive the gripper.
Mounting brackets for mounting a gripper or workpiece holder or the like to a support structure are known. The mounting brackets engage a cylindrical portion of the gripper and mount to a cylindrical support rod or arm. Such grippers or workpiece holders are typically implemented at assembly lines or other industrial applications and connected to support structures along the assembly line or machines.
In order to provide pivotable adjustment of the gripper relative to the bracket, while further providing pivotable or rotational adjustment of the bracket relative to the support structure, brackets have been proposed which provide a cylindrical opening at one end for receiving the gripper therethrough and a second opening at the other end of the bracket. A partial spherical collar is rotatably received in the second opening and is slidable along the support rod or post. One of the proposed mounting brackets is a two piece mounting bracket or plate which is secured together by three fasteners, whereby the two plates define both of the openings therebetween. Accordingly, in order to adjust the position of the support structure and the gripper with respect to the bracket, at least two and maybe all three of the fasteners must be loosened, in order to loosen the clamping forces at both the post and the gripper.
Another proposed bracket which provides rotational adjustment with respect to the support post and pivotal adjustment of the gripper with respect to the bracket provides a one piece mounting bracket which is adjustable via a single fastener. However, because the gripper and support rod must be inserted into and along the respective openings of the bracket, such a mounting bracket is difficult to attach or detach from the gripper and/or support structure.
Other known gripper mounting brackets provide pivotable movement relative to the bracket and further provide pivotable movement of the bracket relative to the support post via a pair of generally cylindrical passageways through the gripper mounting bracket. The cylindrical passageways are defined between corresponding elements of the bracket, which are connected to one another via a pair of bolts or fasteners. Typically, the bolts or fasteners extend along the bracket and are spaced laterally outwardly from the openings defined within the bracket. Accordingly, such mounting brackets are relatively large and bulky, since additional material is required laterally outwardly from the openings for receiving the fasteners therethrough.
The present invention is intended to provide a gripper or workpiece holder mounting bracket which pivotally receives a gripper through one opening in the bracket and pivotally or rotatably mounts the bracket and gripper to a cylindrical support structure. The openings for the gripper and the support structure are defined by three members of the mounting bracket, which are secured together via one or more fasteners, whereby adjustment of the gripper and/or the bracket relative to the support structure may be accomplished by loosening a single fastener.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a workpiece holder mounting assembly for mounting a workpiece holder to an elongated support structure comprises a first mounting member, a second mounting member and a third mounting member. The second mounting member is attachable to a first end of the first mounting member, whereby the second mounting member and the first mounting member define a generally cylindrical opening therethrough. The generally cylindrical opening is adapted to receive a cylindrical portion of the workpiece holder therein. The third mounting member is attachable to an opposite end of the first mounting member, whereby the third mounting member and first mounting member define a second opening therethrough. The second opening is adapted to receive a pivot member which is positionable along the support structure. The mounting members are securable together by at least one fastener extending at least partially through the mounting members. Preferably, the mounting members are secured together by a pair of fasteners, wherein at least one of the fasteners is adjustable to adjust a clamping force at at least one of the openings through the mounting assembly.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a workpiece holder mounting assembly for mounting a workpiece holder to a support structure comprises a center member, a first end member and a second end member. The first end member is attachable at a first end of the center member, such that the first end member and center member define a generally circular opening therethrough. The generally circular opening is adapted to receive a cylindrical portion of the workpiece holder. The second end member is attachable at a second end of the center member. The second end member and center member define a second opening which is adapted to pivotally receive a swivel member therein. The swivel member is slidable along the support structure. The three members are secured together by a pair of fasteners extending longitudinally at least partially through each of the three members. The pair of fasteners are positioned laterally inwardly from an outermost lateral portion of the first opening of the mounting assembly.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a workpiece holder mounting assembly for mounting a workpiece holder to a support structure comprises a center member, a first end member and a second end member. The first end member is attachable at a first end of the center member. The first end member and the center member define a generally circular opening therethrough, which is adapted to receive the workpiece holder. The second end member is attachable at a second end of the center member. The second end member and center member define a second opening, which has an arcuate cross section therethrough. The second opening is adapted to receive a swivel ring, which is pivotable within the second opening and adapted to receive the support member therethrough. The three members of the workpiece holder are secured together by a pair of fasteners such that loosening at least one of the pair of fasteners reduces a clamping force at the generally circular opening and/or at the swivel ring within the second, arcuate cross section opening.
Preferably, the three members of the mounting assembly are secured together such that at least one gap is defined between the mounting members along at least one of the sides of the assembly. The fastener along the side with the gaps is then adjustable to reduce and/or increase the clamping force of the openings via expansion and/or compression of the gaps. Preferably, the swivel ring or member is generally a truncated spherical member which includes a curved outer surface and a cylindrical passageway therethrough which is adapted to receive the support structure. Preferably, the swivel ring is a split ring and includes a gap therealong, such that the clamping force of the swivel ring on the support structure is adjustable via compression and expansion of gap of the swivel ring via adjustment of at least one of the fasteners. Preferably, the swivel ring also includes a plurality of grooves extending therealong which limit pivotable movement of the swivel ring relative to the opening in the bracket when the fasteners are tightened.
Therefore, the present invention provides a three piece mounting bracket which is secured together and adjustable via one or two fasteners or bolts. The bracket allows for rotational movement of the gripper assembly within a cylindrical opening, while also allowing for pivotable and rotational adjustment of the mounting bracket with respect to a generally fixed support structure. Adjustment of the gripper with respect to the bracket and/or the bracket with respect to the support structure may be accomplished via adjustment of a single fastener. The lateral dimensions, of the overall bracket, and thus the material required to make the bracket, are reduced over the prior art, since the fasteners are preferably positioned and inset laterally inwardly from a laterally outermost portion of the curved portion of the bracket which engages and retains the gripper assembly. Additionally, because the mounting assembly is a three piece design, the components may be easily attached around a swivel member at the support structure.